Slum fire destroys homes,scrap godowns

Around 150 shanties and an equal number of small godowns where plastic waste has been kept was gutted in a fire near two government medical facilities,Lok Nayak Hospital and GB Pant Hospital,in Central Delhi on Friday morning.

Around 150 shanties and an equal number of small godowns where plastic waste has been kept was gutted in a fire near two government medical facilities,Lok Nayak Hospital and GB Pant Hospital,in Central Delhi on Friday morning.

Fire department officials said it took them nearly two-and-a-half-hours to put out the blaze that started around 9.30 am,engulfing the whole area within minutes. No casualty has been reported,they said.

The fire spread quickly because inflammable materials such plastic waste kept in the scrap godowns acted as fuel. Moreover,several LPG cylinders also burst. We deployed 25 fire-tenders to control the fire, said Dharamvir Singh Yadav,Assistant Divisional Officer at Connaught Circus Fire Station.

We had to position fire-fighting vehicles near GB Pant Hospital because the fire moved rapidly towards it. We managed to contain the flames before they could reach the hospital, Yadav said.

Additional CP (Central) Devesh Srivastava said: We dont know yet what sparked the fire. But we have registered a case of negligent conduct with respect to fire or inflammable material.

Residents of the gutted tin-roof hutments were inconsolable as they tried to salvage whatever was left after the fire. My husband and children are safe,but we lost our belongings. Our ID,Aadhar and ration cards were in a suitcase along with around Rs 11,000. I dont know where its gone, Julie,who lost her house,said.

Her neighbour Kalawati said: I have lost all my belongings and valuables. I have four children. Where will we live now?

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